Submersible pumping systems are often deployed into wells to recover petroleum fluids from subterranean reservoirs. Typically, the submersible pumping system includes a number of components, including one or more fluid filled electric motors coupled to one or more high performance pumps. Each of the components and sub-components in a submersible pumping system must be engineered to withstand an inhospitable downhole environment, which may include wide ranges of temperature, pressure and corrosive well fluids.
Mechanisms and materials designed to protect the individual components of a submersible pumping system, particularly the electric motor, from an inhospitable downhole environment can extend the life of such individual components and result in significant savings to the operator. Typical materials of construction for downhole components are 316 and 416 stainless steels, T9 and Chrome 13 tubing. Specialty coatings, such as Monel®, are also available to further improve the durability of downhole components. In some cases, however, tubing with chrome content between 9 and 13 percent is still not fully capable of long-term exposure to the highly corrosive downhole environment. It is to this and other deficiencies in the prior art that the present invention is directed.